


Champagne Problems

by Telescopedean



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: AOS McKirk, Angst because, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Champagne Problems, Domestic Fluff, Emotionally Hurt Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James T. Kirk Has Issues, James t Kirk/Leonard McCoy - Freeform, Leonard McCoy - Freeform, Leonard McCoy/James t Kirk - Freeform, M/M, Post-Star Trek Beyond, Star Trek - Freeform, an angsty fic that will make mckirk shippers slightly mad, honestly just sad angsty bullshit, jim kirk - Freeform, mckirk - Freeform, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28925493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telescopedean/pseuds/Telescopedean
Summary: “No you know what?” Jim stood up, angry, the wind flapped down on his hair. Leonard knew now this was an argument. “I said it was fine back there, but it's not...I’ve waited four years, Bones! You can’t tell me that you haven’t thought about marrying me? After all this time?”
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	Champagne Problems

**Author's Note:**

> I think my goal here was to make a lot of mckirk shippers mad. Enjoy this shitty angsty fic! I based this off of the songs Champagne Problems by Taylor Swift as per usual. Also feedback is greatly appreciated I am just a beginner writer and I want to get better. 
> 
> -Bones <3

Leonard knew that Jim was going to propose, he knew he was going to propose as he casually brought them to a dance floor. He knew Jim was going to propose from the nervous energy projecting off of him, from the little jokes he didn’t usually make during dinner conversations. It was midnight and he led them to a place of music and glittering lights. It looked as if it was set up by him, a mat laid on concrete, diy dance floor of some sort. Glittery fairy lights hung high above, Leonards favourite song came from speakers surrounding it. Leonard knew that Jim had his mom's ring in his pocket, but he didn’t say a word as he led him onto the dance floor. He resisted at first, he was never one for dancing, but as he saw the look of pure joy on Jim’s face he gave in. He grumbled out but took Jim’s right hand, and placed his left on his shoulder. 

It was absolutely stunning, the way the light reflected off of Jim’s eyes, off of their clothes and their skin. He could barely see the darkness that surrounded them this late at night. Leonard loved how soft Jim could sway, how much better at dancing than he was. It was one of the many things he loved about Jim. 

“You know I’m not good at dancing.” Leonard said. It made Jim laugh, his November flush matching his flannel. 

“Not true, you danced with me before remember? You were teaching me how to dance at the admiral's wedding?” Jim asked.

Leonard nodded, remembering how well Jim led. How even though Leonard was taller, Jim still somehow managed to twirl him around a dance floor better than anyone ever could. He could picture himself dancing with Jim at his own wedding. It scared him, marriage. The thought of marrying someone again, the thought of losing his best friend and the person he loved the most to divorce. 

For a moment, It was like the only thing either of them noticed was each other and that dance floor. Maybe it was the yellow lights shining brightly, blocking out darkness around them. Leonard readjusted his arms around Jim’s neck, Jim placed his hands on Leonards waist. Jim's eyes shined brighter than before under the lights and Leonard couldn’t help but admire the man that was in front of him. He couldn’t help but wish Jim wasn’t proposing today, he cursed himself for that. 

“You’re beautiful.” He whispered. Jim smiled sincerely and Leonard reached down to run his fingers through Jim’s blonde hair. 

They slowly danced for a while, they let the music guide them. Careful not to step on each other’s feet, their sneakers squeaked on the mat. Leonard thought about what that would feel like at their wedding, trying to imagine what it would feel like to dance with him like that after saying ‘I do’. Jim leaned up and kissed Leonards mouth, for a second he forgot the fear he had as he got lost in the kiss. 

“Remember our first kiss?” Jim asked. 

Leonard nodded, he chuckled. 

“You were suspended and were supposed to stay on campus, but I came back for you and smuggled you on as a sick patient.” 

Jim nodded.

“Yes but the kiss.” 

“Oh right, I kissed you before I injected all that crap into you. I couldn’t just leave without the man I was in love with.” Leonard explained. Jim nodded. 

“And for that I am forever in your debt.” Jim teased as he kissed the tip of Leonard's nose.

“You remember what you said after I kissed you?” Leonard asked. 

Leonard felt Jim cringe, he was blushing bright red. It was clear he remembered.

“Nope.” 

“Alright, I’ll tell ya then,” He spinned them around softly, he winked at Jim as his southern drawl became more evident in storytelling. “Well you told me, you said ‘you’re a better kisser than people make you out to be’.” Leonard explained. 

Jim shook his head in embarrassment.

“I shouldn’t have said that.” Jim laughed. 

“Mm, but you did.” Leonard giggled into Jim’s hair. 

Leonard looked up at the lights in awe, no longer paying attention to the movement of his feet. Stumbling slightly against Jim.

“Who is gonna be responsible for taking this down?” He asked.

Jim shook his head, kissing a trail up Leonards neck.

“Mm, don’t worry about it, sweetheart.”

After a few giggles and a few more kisses, Jim looked up at Leonard and he knew he had to do it now. Jim stopped them both after a moment of content swaying and he placed his hands on Leonards forearms. Leonard knew what was about to happen and his heart was rattling against his ribs. 

“Bones, sweetheart,” Jim, pulled his mothers ring out of his pocket, opening it to show Leonard. “I’m not gonna get on one knee but I want you to marry me. You’re my best friend and the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.” A simple band, no diamond, just his style. “Marry me, please.” 

Leonard cringed, but not at the thought of marrying Jim. But at the concept of marriage in general, he looked into Jims eyes. Jim was begging him and Leonard knew why. He knew why he was standing in front of him asking him to marry him and why it sounded like a plea. Jim knew that marriage scared the shit out of Leonard. He knew that Leonard could deal with losing the woman he was married to for less than three years, but not him. Not the man he fell in love with after so much heartache and pain in his life. Not the man who showed him what it's like to be truly in love.  _ What if this one doesn’t work out either?  _ He thought. But as he looked back up at the man he loved, who was patiently waiting for an answer, he knew that if he were to say no, Jim wouldn’t be mad. He wouldn’t leave Leonard, he wouldn’t give ultimatums, but he still found himself asking  _ is he really the one? _ And it broke him thinking he would ever question that. 

“What if I say no?” Leonard asked.

Jim let out a sigh of defeat almost, he held Leonard's hands in his own. He placed the ring back into his pocket. Jim looked around at the lights he had set up just for Leonard, his lips turned into a frown.

“Then we’ll go back to our hotel room, sit on the balcony and drink some champagne and act like this never happened.” Jim whispered as he brushed away the shaggy hair from Leonards face.

“Are you sure?” Leonard asked. 

Jim simply nodded and he could feel the energy around them fading. He took Leonard's hands and led them back towards their hotel, keeping the ring in the box, in his pocket next to a picture of Leonard in his wallet.

  
  
  


Jim and Leonard sat on a hotel room balcony at midnight, champagne on the table. The silence is almost bittersweet and atmospheric. It felt like Leonard dropped his hand while dancing and left him out there standing. His heart felt like glass that had been dropped from the tenth floor of an apartment. He could see the moon where he was sitting, he could feel the chilly breeze blowing down on him. He was reminded of the dorm he shared with Leonard during the academy, how he made a joke and said “well it’s made for me” never realizing that same statement was true about Leonard, what made that time different from now. Leonard loved him, he was just more afraid of losing him. He didn’t want to lose Leonard, but he wanted to marry him more than anything. He had told himself he wouldn’t be upset if Leonard said no, but he found himself dreading on this topic.

He didn’t want him gone, that was clear, he didn’t want to make ultimatums. Hell, he didn’t make any ultimatums. But he leaned back thinking about champagne problems, and Leonards Midas touch. How he turned everything he touched into gold, including him. He broke the silence as he took a sip of their champagne. 

“You know I really did want to marry you,” Jim was still full of unfinished thoughts from before. He couldn’t tell if Jim was trying to be romantic or start an argument.

“Jim stop, can we drop this for tonight?” It was almost lighthearted, but he laced it with a warning. 

“No you know what?” Jim stood up, angry, the wind flapped down on his hair. Leonard knew now this was an argument. “I said it was fine back there, but it's not...I’ve waited four years, Bones! You can’t tell me that you haven’t thought about marrying me? After all this time?”

Leonard was silent, he felt guilty. He felt tired, he felt bad. Because he loved Jim with his whole being, he didn’t want to lose him over something as stupid as marriage. Jim was wildly patient their whole relationship, he was overdue for what he owed Jim. 

Jim continued. 

“It's been years since your divorce how hard can this be? Haven’t you gotten over it?” There was genuine concern in the tone of his voice, but also anger and disappointment and frustration. 

It stung because what did Jim know about divorce? Leonard laughed and the anger he was feeling was evident. He saw red and clenched his jaw tight. He found himself pointing a finger at Jim.

“You know what Jim? Fuck you! What would you know about it?” It was harsh and unnecessary, but he was upset and tired of Jim lecturing him constantly on something he hadn’t even experienced. “Why is it such a big deal to you? As if  _ I  _ wasn’t the one who fell in love with you first! Or are you forgetting that I loved you way before  _ you _ loved me?”

He said it like it was a competition.

“Shut up, Leonard!” 

Their voices echoed in the darkness, causing them to go dead silent. The silence was painful as they both leaned on opposite sides of the balcony, they knew they were being much too loud for the rooms around them. Leonard looked up at Jim whose jaw was tight and his eyes were starting to tear up. His head was tilted upwards towards the sky, the stars he missed so graciously.

“Jim I-” He laughed, as Jim continued to stare at the stars. “I’m sorry.” It was sincere as it could be, Jim wiped the tears away with the sleeves of his jacket. Leonard walked over to Jim, took his hand and placed it over his own heart. Leonard leaned into this touch, his nose close to Jim’s hair. He placed a kiss on Jim’s forehead. “I’m so, sorry.” He whispered.

Leonard used his pointer finger to tilt Jims chin up, he kissed his mouth. Fiercely and sloppy, he savoured it, as he held the base of Jim’s jaw in his hands. It felt like a goodbye kiss, he could taste the pink champagne on Jim’s breath. They laughed as their teeth grazed and their lips touched one last time. He leaned his forehead against Jim’s and he said,

“It’s never going to be enough for you.” He laughed and it sounded like a hollow bottle gripping tightly onto Jim’s hair as he looked into those eyes he loved so dearly. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I love you. I just don’t feel the need to prove that to you by wearing a ring, and throwing a ceremony, or signing a  _ goddamn piece of paper _ . And  _ that _ will  _ never _ be enough for you.” 

So after a while, they stood there leaning against the balcony, they looked down on the city in silence. Jim lifted his head and he looked into Leonards eyes, they both wondered why that felt like a breakup. Not that they wanted to break up, it felt bittersweet and like a scene in a movie. 

“What now?” Leonard asked. 

Jim shrugged as he took the last sip of his champagne, throwing the glass down into the empty parking lot below them, the shatter echoed. They already knew the answer.

“I guess you’ll want your stuff back.” 

It was not the answer either of them wanted or expected, but Leonard nodded laughing, bittersweet. They stood there under the stars, because what Leonard felt would never be enough for Jim. But at that moment the stars were enough for the both of them. 


End file.
